ARCC Gap: East Africa - Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania

My semester in East Africa with ARCC was an amazing and life changing experience. Combining education with rewarding volunteer work and a strong group dynamic, the trip taught me a lot both about the world and myself. I feel so lucky to have been a part of the program and experience all the cultures and opportunities it presented to me. My time in East Africa helped me decide what direction to take in the next steps of my life and taught me to be a global citizen. Not only did I see new place and meet new people, I learned how they live and why and got to experience a totally different lifestyle firsthand. I gained so much appreciation for what I’ve been lucky enough to have and so much understanding for the problems we face as a global society. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking to take their education out of the classroom and experience new things!

After making a pretty last minute decision to take a gap year I found ARCC. I previously went on multiple summer trips with a different organization, but for my gap trip wanted to try something different. After spending 3 months in East Africa with ARCC, I wish I did all my summer trips in the past with them. I heard about them through a gap year consultant and immediately fell in love with the East Africa program. Something about the 3 countries (Uganda,Kenya, Tanzania) popped out at me, and as I read into the trip more I decided this was the company and trip for me. Once I decided to do a trip like this, I explored a couple of other companies before making a decision. once. Something about ARCC just felt so right and I absolutely loved how the trip was set up. When I read about the trip, I liked how there were 5 global themes that you explore throughout the whole trip (public health, education, micro finance, urbanization,conservation) and I liked the incorporation of leadership and the capstone project at the end. Those three things were not included with other programs. In September 2018 I met up with my group of 10 students and 2 leaders who were soon to be my 12 new best friends and family. We embarked on the trip of a lifetime. I know that sounds cheesy, but I don’t really know how else to define the trip that brought me so much. I loved that it was a mix of values and lessons that all contributed to the success of the perfect trip. There was service, adventure, leadership, education, nature, and fun. We lived in each country for a month. We spent our time traveling to village to village and spent about a week in each place. In each place we focused on something new. A new project, a new theme etc. For the first half of the trip we went to many schools and spent copious amounts of time with the kids. Playing with them, teaching them, learning about the school, learning how we could be of service. Every school was different so it never got boring. And the faces of the kids and the things we learned from them and the relationships we met will never be lost. Starting in Uganda we got a big overland truck with no windows and limo type seating and traveled in that with our driver Thiemo. Driving from place to place instead of flying was a really special experience because we saw things you wouldn’t see thousands of feet up. For example kids running after the truck, people selling different things on the side of the road, and how the landscape changes as you progress into a new place. During those road trips we stocked up on snacks connected to the aux cord and looked out the window at the beauty. Some of the best times were spent on that truck. We also got the opportunity to camp for about a month and a half. We would drive in the truck and pull out all of our stuff and tents from the compartments and set up camp. We had cook crews and we all shopped and cooked with and for each other. This added on another component to the trip and I think the camping really brought us together as a group. Sleeping in tents cooking meals together etc. Along with working in schools, we did a solar panel project and a health project. Learning everything you needed to, to wire someone’s house with solar panels and change a dressing on a patient. Everything that happened on the trip we did it together. I had 11 people by my side with everything we did and saw which is really special because you’re not the only person who saw that village or got to experience the amazing people of Tanzania and you can process and talk about everything with 11 other people which is amazing. Along with that we had two amazing leaders Katy and Eric who were also always by our side. Supporting us in anything we needed or did and keeping the trip running smoothly and safely and also sharing lots of laughs with us. The trip had so many special moments some with my group some with the locals. We experienced so much. Met so many people saw so many beautiful sights and made so many connections and memories. After spending 3 months on an ARCC trip I feel so incredibly passionate for the company. I think everything that occurred on the trip is all thanks to ARCC for organizing it so well and keeping everything running so smoothly. I also think ARCC is just so thoughtful they really know where we were at coming on this trip and they met us where we were. They provided so many things during the trip that contributed to the trip on such a high level. For example every week we did a reflection where we were given an
Hour and a prompt to reflect on and that was then followed by a discussion. This helped us to really process and further think about everything we had done or seen which I think is so important. They also included a whole leadership component giving us each an opportunity to be a leader of the group for a week twice during the trip. An opportunity to plan and run under all activities, reflections and experiences for the group. I think I learned a lot from that experience. They also always had games and activities up their sleeves to help us connect more as a group and have loads of fun. I felt so supported and understood and loved and pushed by ARCC. Although this is a self finding trip ARCC helped foster all the relationships and experiences we had which helped a lot. They did so well at preparing us and they were always available to talk to leading up to the trip. They also did a very good job at discussing the arrival home and preparing us for what that can potentially bring. So when I arrived home and was dealing with culture shock and missing the trip and the group at least I was prepared because I knew that was what I was going to feel. We talked about it and processed it before we left. I could go on for days how this trip had so many great parts to it and how it brought me so much joy and new experiences. What it all comes down to is that I highly highly recommend a trip with ARCC If you want a trip that is so well planned and that will change your life. Obviously I am biased to the East Africa gap semester they have many other trips in countries all over the world that all share similar curriculum, experiences, adventures and opportunities. If I could I would do my trip and all the other ones over again. I don’t think I would be as happy, aware, strong, thankful as I am without ARCC.

I miss my trip and my group everyday to me that’s a good sign,

Rosie Morford

At the beginning of the trip I didn't know what to expect, I mean I met my group for the first time at the airport, I mean that first day was really hard leaving your family's and meeting complete strangers is really hard. If I wasn't for our leaders and their games we wouldn't have talked to each other. Our leaders really made our group one of a kind they were still in our age range that it wasn't awkward talking to them. This whole experience wasn't anything I've ever thought about doing. But after spending a couple of weeks with my group we grew much closer than I ever imagined and now not waking up and seeing them everyday is really difficult. But I'm very glad I took this semester because the memories I have of them were life changing.

The east Africa trip was by far one of the coolest experiences I have ever done. For my gap year, I wanted to expand my boundaries and see the world and this trip did just that. The 11 other people on my trip were strangers, friends and then family. We grew closer than I though possible in the short amount of time together. But now looking back, even through the ups and downs, the good and the bad, they were and will always be there for me, no matter what. The east Africa trip showed me how strong I can be and showed me How similar and different the western society and the east African society is. I loved meeting new people and really getting to know them. Many of the people I met, changed my life. Peter changed the way I look at the world, he said, the world needs you more than you think and that if you work hard you can do anything. Constantly now, I wish I could go back. I wish I could be in the open plains of the Savannah, or in the crowds of children singing to us or in the wise embraces of mama from Lewa and Tania. My heart lives in Africa and someday I know I will go back and live every moment to the fullest possible, loving everyone and everything in my path of life.

This was the most unique and awesome experience I've had so far. Every day I was doing something I had never done before. This experience is something I won't forget for a wile. Just the experience of getting to do something new every single day and getting to interact, and also help people, there is nothing quite like it. Before going on the trip I initially had my doughts about what the experience was going to be like, or if I really was committed enough to spend three months away from everything and everyone I knew. But those doughts were nothing compared to all the knowledge and different experiences and friends that I gained. This trip helped shape the way I see the world and gave me new perspective on what is important. I would really recomend this experience to someone who is thinking about doing it because it is really worth it. If you want to have

I am so incredibly thrilled that I chose ARCC for the first semester of my gap year. All you need to know is that the ARCC East Africa program is one of the best experiences that any young person can take part in. And it is the BEST way to begin your gap year.

ARCC as an organization offers a well-rounded gap curriculum that combines volunteer work, education, and positive travel. I chose the East Africa program since it is in a region of the world that I had not yet traveled to. ARCC's connections in this region allow for the most unique and holistic experience. We met so many incredible people, and took part in so many incredible once in a lifetime experiences (rafting the Nile river, volunteering at Uganda Rhino Fund, seeing the animals on the Masai Mara, installing solar panel systems in Masai homes in Kenya). Without ARCC and this program, I would never know how incredible East Africa is.

So many times throughout the semester I thought to myself, "Wow, instead of being in a lecture or in any class I'm here." And that could be applied to any of the projects we did because they were so unique.

The bottom line is that if you want an enriching, well rounded, supportive, adventurous, and all-around incredible first semester of your gap year, go on the ARCC East Africa trip. This is where you want to be!

Gap Africa was amazing. Where do I begin? My deciding factor for choosing a gap year program was that the projects were ethical, and ARCC exceeded my expectations. All projects are either locally initiated or locally guided, which ensures that they are sustainable and really have a positive impact. The trip has many academic components, which I was grateful for because they reignited my academic curiosity, and helped me become genuinely excited for college, a place I wasn't at before I came on this trip. All of ARCC's gap programs are phenomenal, but Africa is definitely unique. You can travel to Latin America or Asia fairly easily, but Africa is hard to authentically experience on your own. ARCC has amazing local connections, and the individual relationships we've established will last a lifetime. Know that it is a structured group program, so you will learn when it's appropriate to put the group's needs in before your own. I am so grateful for all I've learned on this program, and would definitely recommend it anyone who is open to experiencing Africa in its truest form and broadening their perspective forever.

I'm so glad I chose to spend the first half of my gap year with ARCC. For me the choice was really obvious. I met Sophia Weeks (the leader of gap programs) last winter at a gap fair and I was convinced right away. The program is really established and organized, which I really wanted out of my first semester. I was surrounded by a group of amazing, like-minded students my age, and I was able to establish lifelong friendships. ARCC's connections also allowed me to travel to places that I never would've been able to find on my own. I have met so many local people, and I really feel like I immersed myself in the culture's of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in an authentic way. One thing that has also made the experience more meaningful is the thought out educational component of the trip. I believe that it is so important to be educated about the areas you travel to and the projects you are doing, and I certainly was. We dedicated a lot of time to reading relevant articles, watching movie clips and having discussions about everything that we did. I learned more than I ever could've anticipated on my semester, and I'm so appreciative for everything ARCC has done for me!